Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Oxford MP Arpan Khanna are moving to make bail laws tougher, arguing that Liberal policies have put repeat offenders back on the streets and left Canadians less safe.
The pair announced plans for the “Jail Not Bail” Act, which Khanna will introduce in Parliament this fall. The Conservatives say their bill responds to a wave of violent incidents tied to accused offenders released under existing bail rules.
Poilievre placed blame on Bill C-75, passed in 2019 under former Liberal justice minister David Lametti. That law emphasized releasing offenders “at the earliest possible opportunity, under the least onerous conditions.” According to Poilievre, the result has been rising violent crime. He cited increases of 55 percent in violent crime, 130 percent in firearm crime and 330 percent in extortion.
The Conservatives say their bill would overhaul the bail system in several ways. Reverse onus bail would apply to serious charges including firearms offences, sexual assault, kidnapping, human trafficking, robbery and arson. Judges would be required to consider an accused’s full criminal record, and anyone convicted of a major offence in the last decade would not be eligible for bail if charged again while already on release. The legislation would also tighten rules for guarantors and require non-residents to surrender passports if granted bail.
The move has the support of some victims’ families, including relatives of Bailey McCourt, a young mother killed after her ex-husband was released on bail despite facing assault charges. “These amendments represent a necessary step toward greater accountability, protection and confidence in our justice system,” said McCourt’s aunt Debbie Henderson.
Provincial leaders in Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta have also urged Ottawa to strengthen bail laws. Police associations across Canada have echoed those calls, warning that repeat violent offenders are cycling through the courts.
Critics, however, may argue that tougher bail laws risk overcrowding jails and straining courts while failing to address deeper issues such as mental health, addiction and poverty. Statistics Canada data also shows that while some violent crimes have risen over the past decade, overall violent crime severity declined slightly last year.
